Photographer Kenneth Jarecke offers an inside look at the world of photography and photojournalism.

February 24, 2014

Kenneth Jarecke - My good friend David Burnett, how are things in Sochi

David Burnett - Well, I never would have thought I could say, here I am in Sochi, but here I am in Sochi.

KJ - How many Olympics is this for you?

DB - This is my tenth Olympics. My second Winter Games and even though it’s been a mild winter, I’m reminded of why I have a four to one edge of summer games over winter. Sooner or later, sloshing around in that gooey snow, you’re feet get cold. But, I’m having a great time working with a great bunch of folks.

In our business we have a way of talking about things that are fun that most other people wouldn’t have a clue of what we’re talking about. Working twenty hour days with all kinds of uncomfortable things, figuring out how to get from one place to another, but it’s fun. It’s what we do. You kind of learn how to redefine what is fun and I have to say it’s been a pretty good ten days so far. Please follow this link to read the rest of the interview.

February 11, 2014

The first time I met Vincent Laforet was at a spontaneous, late-night photographer’s dinner after a full day of shooting during the Salt Lake Olympics. Vincent entertained the table with stories and spot on impersonations of other photographers.

It was a wonderful evening.

We crossed paths four years later about half way up the stairs which run up the large ski hill in Torino. It was a good evening for making pictures, though there was nothing wonderful about that climb.

Laforet is the type of photographer that other photographers watch closely. He’s a ground breaker who seems to have already made a move when others don’t yet know there’s a move to make. He was kind enough to talk a bit about his latest project, a stunning piece he did for Nike.

Serious photographers rarely talk about equipment. Conversations usually focus on the why and not so much on the how, so it was a treat to have Vincent explain the thinking behind what he was working to accomplish during this shoot.

July 26, 2013

State fairs are wonderful places to make pictures. They’re the perfect training ground for photographers seeking to become better. The fair offers different events and fresh faces every day, but it also has its own daily rhythm. This gives a photographer with a near miss the opportunity to learn from their mistake(s), correct them, and try again.

If a photographer can make great pictures of people they don’t know, without posing them (or at times not even talking to them), I believe they can make great pictures anywhere.

I’ll be helping you raise your photography to a higher level at the MontanaFair in Billings starting August 9.
Each workshop participant will be issued a special credential to the MontanaFair which will give them photo access for the duration of the fair. Students will work personally with me, both in the field and in the classroom. I’ll help you learn to recognize and capture interesting, unposed images on the fly.

Our schedule is somewhat flexible, because we may want to take advantage of special photo opportunities or spend more time in the classroom.

Day 1 - August 9th (Friday)

At 1pm our group will meet at the Toucan Gallery at 2505 Montana Avenue in Billings.
I’ll show images I’ve made in the past, from the MontanaFair and other situations. I’ll start with basics like digital workflow and how to get the most out of your photography equipment. We’ll look at street photography (which is in essence what we’re doing). I’ll describe how to recognize and approach a subject. I’ll explain how I identify situations that may lead to interesting images. Finally, we’ll set our goals for the workshop.

At 5pm we’ll head to the fair. I’ll find situations where I feel a photograph might happen. I’ll explain why I think so and describe specific reasons for my thoughts. We’ll work like this until we run out of light or energy, whichever happens first.

At 7am we’ll meet at the fair. We’ll work until the morning light disappears.

At 1pm we’ll meet back at the Toucan and go through our work from Friday evening and Saturday morning. I’ll look at everyone’s images and make suggestions on how to make them better. This is a group event which will allow us to learn from one another.

At 5pm we’ll head back to the fair and work our butts off.

Note: This will be a long day, or how it’s known in the world of editorial photography, a normal day. Workshop participants will not be required to work past their comfort levels, rather they’ll be encouraged to take a break, eat some deep-fried something or other, and enjoy themselves. Photography and learning should always push you, but that doesn’t mean they also shouldn’t be fun!

Day 3 - August 11th (Sunday)

I’ll be at the fairgrounds at 7am. Whether you join me or not is up to you.

At 1pm we’ll meet at the Toucan for another grueling editing/therapy session.

At 5pm we’ll head back out to the fair grounds!

Day 4 through Day 9

From August 12 through 17 you’ll be on your own. You’ve got your credentials and your fellow workshop participants for support, and by now you should have learned the skills to make the kind of pictures you’re after. How hard you work during this time is completely up to you. I won’t be there, but I’m leaving you with the gift of motivation.

At 9am we’ll all meet at the Toucan. We’ll edit our MontanaFair work. My critique will be somewhat brutal, because our final selects will be submitted to the owners of the Toucan Gallery who have generously agreed to curate and exhibit our images. That’s where your extra motivation comes from. The best of our work will be hanging in the Toucan Gallery, matted and framed, for our family, friends and neighbors to see (yes, every workshop participant will be represented) and purchase (we can only hope).

August 31 - Our final prints will be submitted to Mark Sanderson and Allison O’Donnell, of the Toucan Gallery.

September 18 (Wednesday) - Opening night reception at the Toucan Gallery from 5pm until 8pm.

Note: Our print size will be uniform. The paper will be 17 x 22. The image size will be approximately 12 x 18. The cost and making of the prints are your responsibility. I can help you, maybe even produce some of the prints with you at my office. The gallery has graciously offered us a heavily discounted rate for matting and framing (but you can have this done elsewhere if you like). Equally gracious, the gallery will only take a 20% commission on print sales. Amazing, since normally galleries take no less than 50%.